Dolson, Hartley to be honored on Senior Day

Rich Elliott

Updated 11:54 pm, Friday, February 28, 2014

Connecticut's Bria Hartley, right, is guarded by Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the final of the Big East Conference women's tournament in Hartford, Conn., Tuesday, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Photo: Jessica Hill, Associated Press

Connecticut's Bria Hartley, right, is guarded by Notre Dame's...

UConn's Bria Hartley shoots a jumper over Kentucky's Janee Thompson during their 83-53 victory in the elite eight round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Monday, April 1, 2013.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds

Kansas State's Mariah White, center, is tied up by UConn's Kelly Faris, right, after being double teamed by Faris and Bria Hartley, left, in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport on Monday, March 19, 2012.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds

Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma, second from left speaks with players Kelly Faris, left, Bria Hartley, second from right, and Caroline Doty, right, during the second half of a first-round game against Idaho in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament in Storrs, Conn., Saturday, March 23, 2013. Connecticut won 105-37. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

STORRS -- The UConn women's basketball team had won 78 straight games. All-American center Tina Charles was lost to graduation. Starting point guard Caroline Doty was lost for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her knee.

It was hardly an ideal situation for center Stefanie Dolson and guard Bria Hartley to be walking into as freshmen in 2010-11. There was not going to be any feeling-out process. UConn coach Geno Auriemma needed both of them to contribute for the Huskies, and he needed them to contribute right away. And that's exactly what they did.

Four years later, Dolson and Hartley are still contributing. Statistics prove they have become two of the best players in the rich history of the program. Their personalities and their impact on those around them prove they are two of the best individuals in the history of the program. Today, prior to No. 1 UConn facing No. 24 Rutgers at Gampel Pavilion (4 p.m.; CBSSN), they will be honored during a ceremony on Senior Day.

"I think you prove who you are and what you are over a period of time,'' Auriemma said. "And Bria and Stefanie have proven over a period of four years that there's something special about them, in the way they carry themselves, what they bring to practice every day, what they've brought to our games, how much they've done from Day 1.''

Not only is it fitting that All- Americans Dolson and Hartley will have their time in the spotlight with their families for their contributions to the program, there will be a second ceremony that will forever cement their place in history. They will become the 14th and 15th players to be inducted into the Huskies of Honor.

Junior Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who will be inducted next season, sees this as a perfect tribute for her teammates.

"It's definitely fitting,'' Mosqueda-Lewis said. "To come in as freshmen, start and make an impact the way that they have, I think that they're going to be here at UConn forever. What they've done. What they've left with the program. What they've taught the players below them. I think that they've given so much to this program that they deserve to be up there.''

Dolson started 36 of 38 games as a freshman, averaging 10.2 points (.616 FG) and 6.1 rebounds in 24.2 minutes. Hartley started 34 of 38 games, averaging 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 31.8 minutes. The Huskies advanced to the Final Four that season.

Their contributions never ceased. Dolson and Hartley are a combined 133-11 (.924) in their career. The Huskies have advanced to the Final Four in each of their first three seasons, winning the national championship a year ago in New Orleans.

"This has been my life, all of ours, for whatever years we're year,'' Dolson said. "So to win last year was definitely the biggest accomplishment we could've had, and then this year, hopefully, to follow it up with another one would just make it that many times better.

"Not a lot of people can say they went to college and won one, let alone for us, hopefully, to get out of here with two. All I know is Bria and I won't leave anything out on the court before that doesn't happen.''

Together, they are playing their best with their careers coming to a close. Dolson is averaging 12.9 points and career-highs of 9.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.4 blocks and 31.6 minutes. She is shooting 57.7 percent from the field and has recorded 11 double-doubles (one triple-double).

Hartley is averaging career-highs in scoring (16.6), assists (4.2), steals (2.0) and field goal percentage (.488). She is also averaging 3.7 rebounds, shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range and has a 2.1 assists-to-turnover ratio in 30.8 minutes.

"I think from the beginning we kind of always were working towards the same goals,'' Hartley said. "We each were improving at the same rate and I think it's good. And now we're finally seniors and I think we can kind of look back and we're kind of proud of what we've done and what we've been able to accomplish. And we just want to continue to have that success and end this year on a really good note.''

Overall, Hartley has produced 1,827 career points, 513 rebounds, 508 assists and 226 steals in 142 games. She is ranked 10th in team history in scoring, 10th in assists, 13th in steals, seventh in made 3-pointers (236) and 13th in games played.

Hartley, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi are the only UConn players with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists. Hartley and Moore are the only UConn players with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 200 steals.

Dolson is ranked 14th in team history in scoring (1,672), fifth in rebounds (994), sixth in blocks (230), fourth in field goal percentage (.593) and 11th in games played (143). She needs six rebounds to become the fifth UConn player to reach 1,000.

Dolson and Hartley are also the third pair of UConn classmates to score 1,500 points, joining Swin Cash (1,583) and Asjha Jones (1,502), who graduated in 2002, and Ann Strother (1,699) and Barbara Turner (1,629), who graduated in 2006.

"Even like the bad points, it was just like I wouldn't want to be anywhere else,'' Hartley said. "I want to be here working through those. It's kind of the relationship that I was able to build with my teammates and kind of with Stefanie through the years. I think that's awesome. I just think it means the world to me.''

Dolson and Hartley were never going anywhere. They were challenged right away. They accepted that challenge and have thrived.

Today, they will play their final regular season home game. It will sub as a celebration of their accomplishments and what they have meant to the program.

"I've known Stefanie and Bria for a really long time,'' Mosqueda-Lewis said. "And just having them on the team, having them as leaders and just having them as role models has just helped me grow as a player and as a person.''